Bill 115 set for repeal Wednesday

Bill 115 repeal

Torstar News Service file photo

Minister of Education Laurel Broten annnounced Bill 115, legislation at the heart of the ongoing labour dispute between the government and Onario's public school teachers, will be repealed Wednesday. She hopes this will encourage teachers to bring back extracurricular activities for students.

Ontario’s Liberal government has announced it plans to repeal Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act, effective Jan. 23.
The controversial legislation has been at the heart of the ongoing labour dispute between the government and Ontario’s public school teachers’ unions. The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have been conducting protests and a public awareness campaign lobbying the government for the bill’s repeal.
The labour battle has been a disruptive force in Ontario’s public schools, where teachers have been displaying opposition to the bill by withdrawing from voluntary duties. The result has been a long list of cancelled sports teams, afterschool clubs and other extracurricular activities for students in elementary and high schools.
It is unclear whether the bill’s repeal will be enough to appease teachers and restore extracurricular activities for thousands of disappointed students.
The unions are still vehemently opposed to the government’s use of legislation, which imposed collective agreements on school boards and their teachers. They have called the action taken by the Liberals an unconstitutional attack on democratic and labour rights.
The unions launched a court challenge against the bill that forces two-year wage freezes, pay cuts, benefit reductions and other education spending restraints on teachers and others working in Ontario’s public education system to help the province meet its deficit reduction targets.
When Education Minister Laurel Broten used the legislation last Sept. 11, she said the government would repeal it after the bill fulfilled its purpose.
The legislation achieved its goal of ensuring fair, balanced and responsible collective agreements for teachers and support staff, the government said, repealing it now is an act of goodwill to encourage an end to protests disrupting school life for students.
“The Putting Students First Act is a bipartisan solution to a province-wide issue— ensuring fair collective agreements for teachers and support staff while addressing Ontario’s deficit,” said Education Laurel Broten in a written statement. “The act accomplished that goal and is no longer needed. What is needed now is a return to stability in our schools and that includes extracurricular activities for Ontario’s students.”